Username = Profile

[Sal Collaziano]

Hey. Any possibility that the username could link to the user's profile?

[ccd1]

How? You look for user names via userid numbers, not usernames.

[Wayne Luke]

Originally posted by baragon0
How? You look for user names via userid numbers, not usernames.

Simple you edit your postbit template to include something like (this works in VB2):


<a href="member.php?action=getinfo&userid=$post[userid]" target="new">$post[username]</a>

[Mike Sullivan]

In most -- if not all -- cases, you actually have both. Just have to reference a different array index (probably $x[userid] instead of $x[username]).

Not to mention you can actually look up by username. Try it: http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/member.php?s=&action=getinfo&username=Ed+Sullivan . AFAIK, no included links actually link like that though.

[Grover]

I personally think this should be STANDARD. I see no reason why it should'nt be. I guess I will have to add this simple template-edit, but I still think this is a great suggestion.

Why?

Because it will be more CONSISTENT when VB3 does supports this by default.

A. Just look at the [memberlist]. ALL the usernames link to their specific profiles.
B. Look at the username in 'Thread Starter' : it's a link to the profile.....
C. Look at the username in 'Last post' by.... : it's a link to the profile.....
D. Look at the 'currently active users' on the mainpage: all usernames are links to the profile.....
E. Look at 'Who's Online' : all the usernames are links to.....EXACTLY!

Shall I go on? ;)

It's implemented EVERYWHERE througout the whole board!!

But......at the MOST OBVIOUS position : VB does NOT support it!! It's consistent EVERYWHERE on the board, but at the position where the username is actually displayed in the largest. most visible font : it is NOT. Very odd.....

Where is the consistency in all this? Users of a board are USED to click on a username for viewing their profile. Even VB support this througout the whole board....apart from the most obvious field.

Again: it's the user-experience we are talking about here: this simple suggestion makes VB more consistent and it provides a better user-experience.

Can a developer tell me why Jelsoft choose not to go all the way?

[ccd1]

I'd think because it's because it takes less to call it by ID number in the mySQL database.

The last post one though, actually calls for (in the link) the last poster, not the user profile directly.

[Steve_C]

I think it should be standard as well. It's more intuitive.

[Fusion]

Originally posted by baragon0
I'd think because it's because it takes less to call it by ID number in the mySQL database.Yes, that's why.

[Erwin]

The templates are there to be used - just use them - customize your vB the way you want it. There's no reason to give usernames an ugly underline that you have to use CSS to remove, or resort to < span> tags...

[JamesUS]

This may feature in vB 3 when the new style is released. If it is not in the new style, feel free to post again to this thread to remind Kier :)

[Mark Hewitt]

Personally I prefer the name on the postbit not to be linked as it looks neater.

But as everyone has said, this is what templates are for, for you to decide.

[XiXora]

i like userid's for the links imo.

[Grover]

Originally posted by Mark Hewitt
Personally I prefer the name on the postbit not to be linked as it looks neater.

But as everyone has said, this is what templates are for, for you to decide.

Hmm...why does it look neater? You can make a link of the username WITHOUT a line beneath it....JUST show it when some-one does a mouse-over. That way it looks as neat as it does now.

I personally think it should be included. It's odd that it isn't at the moment, because Jelsoft has integrated it EVERYWHERE else on VB! Just read my explanation above....

It's MORE consistent and indeed MORE intuïtive......

[XiXora]

um do u mean if i type Grover now it becomes a link to profile?

[Ian]

Originally posted by XiXora
um do u mean if i type Grover now it becomes a link to profile? No, when someone makes a post, the posting link would than become clickable.

[Fusion]

If having the name as a link "looks ugly", why not get the best of both worlds and use the avatar as a linking-point?

[plattopus]

Not everyone has avatars.

[Fusion]

Originally posted by plattopus
Not everyone has avatars. So? Then those will be without linking-points. Alternatively, use a default avatar showing this user has no avatar. If nothing else, this would encourange the use of avatars. Looks like a win-win situation.

[Erwin]

This is exactly the reason why vB uses templates - so that each forum admin can customize his or her forum the way he or she wants. :)

[Grover]

Originally posted by Erwin
This is exactly the reason why vB uses templates - so that each forum admin can customize his or her forum the way he or she wants. :)

Yes. We get this answer very often.....

Ofcourse we have the templates (although not everyone knows how to use it, but that's another story), but the point is this:

Why should we solve something ourselves with a template-modification, when the issue has something to do with the in-consistency of Vbulletin itself?

As I've said before in this thread: VBulletin links the username on EVERY occasion, there's just ONE place where VB does NOT link the username and that is at the MOST obvious place: at the posting itself!!

Users are USED to click on a username to get to the user's profile....VB even encourages this itself by linking the username (almost) everywhere. It's ODD that it doesn't appear in the posting-bit.

So, Jelsoft: be CONSISTENT and don't point users to 'The Templates' for things that can (and in this case : should) be solved inside VB itself.

Thanks,

[Grover]

Originally posted by JamesUS
This may feature in vB 3 when the new style is released. If it is not in the new style, feel free to post again to this thread to remind Kier :)

Thanx! I will certainly remind mr. Kier.....starting now!

(and maybe if you have the time: I was wondering why the developers choose not to link the username above the avatar in the postbit? VB2 does it everywhere else on the forum: I'm just curious about the reason behind it)

Thumbs up for VB3!

[Freddie Bingham]

Originally posted by Grover
Thanx! I will certainly remind mr. Kier.....starting now!

(and maybe if you have the time: I was wondering why the developers choose not to link the username above the avatar in the postbit? VB2 does it everywhere else on the forum: I'm just curious about the reason behind it)

Thumbs up for VB3! If you look at my style on the vb3 forum, it is.

[Grover]

Well,

Thanks to the VB developers for listening to our suggestions! I am very glad to see that a lot of the wishes from the Suggestions and Feedback-forums are actually implemented or considered for a future release!

When I saw the very first alpha-release I was a bit dissapointed, but the more I see it progress now, the more impressed I am with the new VB3 version.

And if the new style is in the same league as the quality of the software we are testing now, the competitors are in for something!! I think that some competitors are indeed ahead of Vbulletin from a graphic point of view. They have GREAT styles compared to the current VB2 style.... and the looks of a product are VERY important. Having said that, VBulletin outruns the others with his options, quality, performance and support. So....when VB3 gets it's new quality 'jacket' (read: Style): it has to be a jacket it deserves.

Amen. ;)

[Freddie Bingham]

Well, it is like that in *MY* style but the final style will not be based on *MY* style so I am not saying that you will find it linked. I am just showing you that I prefer it to be linked.

[Grover]

Originally posted by freddie
Well, it is like that in *MY* style but the final style will not be based on *MY* style so I am not saying that you will find it linked. I am just showing you that I prefer it to be linked.

Ok, clear. You are certainly NOT the only one who prefers it this way.....

I hope the dev teams see this too. It's not a BIG deal, but its more consistent and user-friendly.

[Freddie Bingham]

Originally posted by Grover
Ok, clear. You are certainly NOT the only one who prefers it this way.....

I hope the dev teams see this too. It's not a BIG deal, but its more consistent and user-friendly. Teams? You only have to convince Kier, that is all.

[Fusion]

Originally posted by freddie
Teams? You only have to convince Kier, that is all. Only? You make it seem like a small feat. He's British. :D ;)

[Grover]

Originally posted by freddie
Teams? You only have to convince Kier, that is all.

I meant 'team'.......

Ok: I meant 'Kier'........

[Grover]

Well, it is like that in *MY* style but the final style will not be based on *MY* style so I am not saying that you will find it linked. I am just showing you that I prefer it to be linked.
Alright! I just noticed the dropdown menu when you click on a username inside a posting. We've got even more functionality then we asked for. :) I am impressed. Impressed by the userfriendlyness of VB3. What a HUGE improvement compared to VB2. Thanx a lot!